Beautiful
by rachel115
Summary: Jareth appears in the mortal world, but he is not longer interested in chasing Sarah, he just wants to sing. So, what happens when Jareth attempts a career as a musician in the human world? Some misadventures, humorous situations, and a little romance.
1. Keep Forgetting

AN: Okay, this is my very first posted fanfic ever. I'm pretty curious about what you guys will think! I'm not sure how big the Laby fan base actually is, but I hope to please you all. I'm doing my best to steer clear of the normal "Jareth chases Sarah" type of fic. I want to be different. So, I hope you guys really enjoy this. Oh, and this whole intro was based on an actual show I went to. I didn't write any of the songs I used, and all but one of them belongs to the same guy. Anyone who can name the artist of the songs I'm using…well…you would be the coolest. So, I guess I'll give the answer in the next chapter. Oh, and I know there are a lot of lyrics in this fic, but try to actually read them. They're character development, I promise! Okay, I'm really going to let you get to the story now!

Disclaimer: I don't own Labyrinth or any of its characters. Nor do I own any of the "non-Labyrinth" songs in the chapter, but I don't want to ruin the surprise…so I'll tell who the owner is in the chapters to come! All the other stuff is mine.

Warnings: Cursing and sappy folk songs!

Beautiful

Chapter 1: Keep Forgetting

"_The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen  
__or even touched - they must be felt with the heart."  
__Helen Keller_

"Come on! You should really get out of the house anyway. You know that's true. Just come and see this show with me. Raye has seen this guy a couple of times, says he's really good. Aw, come on Mrs. High-class-arts-fanatic. You know you're interested. Come on, it's nine now…it starts at eleven."

Sarah rolled over, away from her roommate, and uttered an inaudible grunt.

"Can I take that as a yes?"

Another grunt surfaced from beneath the barricade of pillows and blankets Sarah was hiding behind. "I'm asleep, can't you tell?"

"You don't sound asleep."

Finally, Sarah rolled over, poking her head out from under her comforter tentatively. "So, why is my presence necessary for this little outing Chris?" she asked as she settled back down into her bed.

"Well Sarah, there are several reasons. One, Raye is coming. You know how she is. I love her, but she'll just want to sit around and flirt with every guy she sees."

"You don't want to feel left out, so you bring me, so I can feel left out? Geez, thanks Chrissy, you're such a friend." Sarah sighed and rolled slightly, so she was looking at the ceiling.

"Is everything a guilt trip with you Sarah? No, that's not it. I just meant there isn't any class in our group without you." Sarah threw a pillow, but missed. "Another reason is I know you will like this! It's in little coffee shop type place about twenty minutes from here. All artsy and stuff. You know you'll like it." Chrissy, who had previously been sitting in a chair across the room from Sarah's bed, stood and walked over to physically put a hand on Sarah's forehead.

"Sarah, you've been holed up in this room for about a week now. You aren't dead, heck, you aren't even sick. Babe, Jason isn't coming back." She let the words sink in. Instead of sitting up, Sarah simply rolled the rest of the way over.

"Leave me alone. I'm asleep."

Chrissy sighed and took hold of the edge of the comforter. "Damn Sarah, I didn't want to have to do this. I am now, officially, staging an intervention." With that, she gave the cover a solid tug, causing Sarah to shriek in surprise as her flesh suddenly came in contact with the chill air of the apartment. Chrissy dodged another pillow, meant to be a projectile, with a laugh. "Oh Sarah, don't give me that look. Now, you find a towel. I'm turning the shower on. You stink."

* * *

The coffee house was dark and filled with smoke. The small stage was flooded with light, but there was no performer to be seen. All that adorned the stage was an acoustic guitar, a microphone, and a stool. Sarah coughed as she entered the building.

"For this I showered?"

Chrissy laughed. "Believe me Sarah, if you hadn't showered, this place would be cleared by now. Damn, it is crowded. You made us late, now we won't get good seats."

"I didn't mean to make you late. I shouldn't have come."

Sighing, Chrissy put a reassuring arm around Sarah's waist. "That's not what I meant. I'm glad you're here."

"Hey! Hey, Chris! Sarah!" cried a voice from across the room. Looking up, the two girls spied a pair of arms waving at them wildly. "Hey, come on! I saved you guys seats and everything."

They managed to weave their way across the sea of people with little incident. As soon as she arrived at their destination, Sarah was engulfed in an enthusiastic hug.

"Oh my gosh, Sarah! I really have missed you. I was going to come and visit you, but Chrissy said I would probably just make things worse. Like say something stupid or something. She's probably right, you know. So, I just won't say anything about how big of a dick Jason is. Okay?"

Sarah cracked a smile and hugged her friend again. "I missed you too Raye."

Soon, the three were engrossed in a conversation, oblivious to the crowed room. They ordered coffee and caught Sarah up on the events of the past few weeks.

"So," Chrissy asked after several minutes, "Are you glad to be out of the house?"

Sarah tried her best to smile at her, but it didn't reach her eyes. "I really do feel better Chris. Thank you. But," she struggled to change the subject, "knowing Raye's taste in music, I probably won't feel so good once this guy comes out on stage."

Raye smiled and shook her head. "Oh yes you will Sarah. I've seen him a couple of times. He's really talented. He's funny, and man, he's got this voice. Ah, I could just die."

"Doesn't hurt that he's good looking right Raye?" Chrissy asked with a knowing smile.

"Oh, so hot. So hot. Hey, I hadn't even mentioned that yet." Raye tried to look annoyed, but failed. "So what, I'm transparent." She leaned in, as if she was going to let the other two in on some sort of secret. "I don't know how to explain it, but every time I hear him sing, I feel like he's singing right to me. Has that ever happened to you guys?"

Chrissy shook her head, no, and sighed.

"What about you Sarah?"

"Well," She thought for a moment. So many years ago. But, yes, it had seemed like he was singing only for her. "Yeah, I felt like that…once."

"Really? When? Sarah, you've got to--" But their conversation was interrupted by the sounds of a guitar tuning up.

Sarah looked up, and felt her stomach drop. She wanted to stand up, but found that her legs wouldn't respond. Not while she watched those fingers carefully tune the guitar. Not while she saw that mouth tentatively hum a few notes into the microphone. She found her voice again, but only slightly. "Holy shit."

"I know, right!" Raye whispered in her ear, "Gorgeous. Wait till you hear him sing."

He did begin to warm up his voice, humming a few bars to a song. "Oh God," Sarah said, more to herself than to anyone else. She knew that song.

"_Deep in your eyes, a kind of pale jewel  
Open and closed within your eyes  
I'll place the sky within your eyes."_

He coughed a few times, and took a drink of water. Tapping the microphone, he shielded his eyes from the spot lights. "Wow, there sure are a lot of you out there tonight! Hey, I think I've seen you before." He pointed to a woman on the first row. "You've been at a few of the show, correct?" She nodded. He gave a low whistle, "I have a fan!" The crowd laughed and he smiled.

"Hello, my name is Jareth, and I'll be playing a few songs this evening. Thanks for coming out." With that, he began to strum the guitar, playing a slow, sad melody.

"Its a place at the end of the road,

and there is a time after every show.  
where I don't want to talk to no one.  
Well you say, 'At least someone is loving you', I know.  
I just think they need a better reason though,  
and I don't want to talk to no one  
I just wanted to talk to you.

Well you search for love and you search for happiness  
And you come to find, there is a difference.  
So you search for wisdom and you search for truth,  
And all you find is quiet, maybe it finds you."

Sarah couldn't believe it. She was lost in his voice and his presence. He looked just like she remembered him. Tall and lean. His blonde hair still looked wild, even though it was pulled back in a pony tail. He was dressed just as one might expect a musician to be dressed, but with subtle differences. His corduroys were baggy, but his button up shirt was pressed. She could almost have laughed, had she not been so confused, Jareth remained completely wrinkle free.

"It's a place at the end of the road,

and there is a time after every show  
where I don't want to talk to no one.  
Well you say, 'At least someone is loving you', I know.  
I just think they need a better reason though  
and I don't want to talk to no one,  
I just wanted to talk to you."

The song ended and the crowd, many of whom were standing in the back of the room, burst into applause.

"So," he began, as be started to tune his guitar for the next song, "Would you like to hear about an ADD moment I had during that song? You see, I was driving out here and I thought, 'You haven't played _Talk to You_ in a long time. You should play that. I better go over the words.' I'm sitting in my car, singing the song. I swear, I got thought the first verse and got completely sidetracked. I have no idea what the second verse is. Anyone notice I skipped it? What is the second verse?"

The room was laughing, but a few people started to softly sing the words.

"It's the sweetest sadness not a kin to pain,  
and resembles sorrow only as mist resembles the rain.  
It's a silence that you can almost hear.  
It's a love that you could almost fear, but you don't have to"

He smiled out at them. "That's a good verse. I wish I had remembered it."

* * *

Sarah splashed cold water on her face and the back of her neck. This was completely unbelievable. How old had she been, barley sixteen? That was three years ago, three years. She had always asked herself what she would do if she ever encountered him again. The scenarios had played out in her head nightly, for months, years maybe. She had always imagined him coming back, his egotistical manner just as it had been. Her thoughts were broken as she heard laughter from outside the bathroom.

"_That's a good verse. I wish I had remembered it."_

She could have prepared herself for a thousand things, but she could never have foreseen Jareth with a sense of humor. It was almost like an out of body experience. You see someone you once knew, but they are not at all as they were the last time you met them. She didn't really know how to react.

His music was very different now. He seemed happier, even if the words were still sad. That sadness seemed, somehow, in perspective. She was trying to put her finger on the change in his demeanor. It was almost like a school yard bully who had finally grown up.

'Well, he's been in my world long enough to develop a fan base,' she paused and almost smiled, realizing how bizarre that thought was. 'He hasn't tried to contact me. Maybe if he doesn't see me, he never will. I just wish I had never known he was here.'

Sarah recognized the feeling in the pit of her stomach. Fear. This situation was bizarre, totally unlike anything she had ever expected to have to deal with. But, somehow, she took comfort in the peculiarity of the moment. Perhaps, if she just made it through the night, she could pretend none of this ever happened.

Slowly, summoning all the courage she could, she returned to the room. She didn't want Raye and Chrissy to have reason to question her.

* * *

"So, I'm almost to the request portion of the night. I got one more that I want to sing for you guys. This is about a girl--" He was cut off momentarily by a couple of "aws" from the audience. He smiled. "Yes, yes, I know. Sorry, but it's not a particularly happy song. I wrote it about a year after I met her, when I thought I was ready to go on with my life. So, this is a song about being over it, but not really." A couple people laughed. He smiled again, but it looked half-hearted. "It's called _Keep Forgetting._"

"She was honest past the point of pretty.  
She had a girl friend back then, I just can't recall her name.  
And she was desperate, far past the point of easy.  
And nothing here would change, nothing here would change…

She was timid past the point of careful.  
She had a boyfriend now, but he had a girly way.  
He was kinda' strong, along the lines of gentle,  
And nothing here would ever be the same.  
Not for me, it would never be the same…

And I keep forgetting I didn't make her happy.  
I keep forgetting I didn't make her love me.  
I keep forgetting I didn't make her lonely.  
She was all of this before me, and  
She'll be that way without me."

"Oh my God, Raye whispered in Sarah's ear, "Who wouldn't love him? He's so funny, but somehow, he seems too sad. Don't ya' think?"

Sarah, who was using all her willpower to prevent herself from running out the door replied only with a lame, "Yeah."

Chissy leaned over towards Sarah, concerned. "Sarah, you okay? Break-up songs probably aren't the best for you right now. Maybe we should take a walk."

Sarah managed a slight shake of her head, feeling her stubborn nature kick in. "I'm fine Chris. No worries. Enjoy yourself."

"She was honest when it wasn't easy,  
So I was careful to try to do the same.  
But she got desperate and it started to look pretty,  
When she started pushing me away, she started pushing me away…  
Into the careful hands of time, into the gentle hands of change.  
Into the careful hands of time, with such gentle hands…"

Sarah brought a hand to her face, to brush away a stray hair. When she brought her hands back down, she looked at her fingertips in shock. They were wet. She couldn't remember when she started crying.

"And I keep forgetting I didn't make her happy.  
I keep forgetting I didn't make her love me.  
I keep forgetting I didn't make her lonely.  
She was all of this before me, and  
She'll be that way without me.

Long before me, she'll get along without me…"

He stood silent on the stage. The longest he had been silent for the entire night. When he looked back up, Sarah saw the old Jareth again. His mis-matched eyes held no laughter, and when he smiled again, it didn't reach his eyes.

"Well, I'm done depressing you. Any requests?"

Suddenly, a room that had sat in a hushed silence broke into minor chaos.

"_For Nichole_!"

"_I'm Afraid of White People_." Jareth laughed when the title was mentioned.

"_Ballad of Her_."

"_Perfect lil' Imperfection_!"

Jareth smiled outright at this suggestion. "Great choice." He began to down-tune his guitar. "This really is one of my favorites. See, if you ever want to write a mediocre song, this is kind of a template. Actually, it is, itself, a mediocre song. So, it's an example and a teaching tool." He paused for a moment, faining deep thought, "I'm a genius."

Challenge yourself man and write a song  
about boring average heterosexual love  
that doesn't even try to scratch the surface  
You just sit back and love it because it is."

Sara smiled, then stopped, aghast. She realized in a sudden rush that sitting here, in the same room as Jerath, listening to him sing, she was beginning to enjoy herself. Rationalizing, she realized that she had just been crying, but she'd been doing that for a week. What she hadn't done lately was smile, and he had made her smile. She shook her head to clear her thoughts. Even the first time she'd met him, his singing had impressed her, it was his talking and his actions that had turned her off. Besides, this singing, it wasn't the same. It didn't make her feel like he was looking into her, reading her.

'But it does,' argued a stubborn voice in her mind. 'It's just the same.'

She shook her head again and tried to enjoy the music despite the ever growing knot inside her stomach.

'You've always liked his voice, Sarah. Just avoid actual interaction and this evening could actually…be alright…'

* * *

The audience laughed and Jareth smiled.

"Well, thank you all so much for coming out. I'm going to play one more song this evening. Remember I discovered my fan at the beginning of the show? I've decided she should get to pick the final song as a reward for her loyalty. Anything you want mama', just say the word."

The woman thought for a second, obviously taking her role very seriously. "Well," she began slowly. "I don't know if you know this, but I was at your very first show. The last song you played there, I'd like to hear that one. I don't think you've ever played it sense."

It could have been her imagination, but Sarah could have sworn some of the color just drained out of Jareth's face.

"Do you really want to hear that? There is a reason I don't play that anymore. It's shit." There were a few laughs, but mostly, everyone seemed intrigued. "Look, I haven't played that song in a very long time…I'm not even sure I remember the words…" he trailed off.

The woman looked up at him, smiling. "I'd really love to hear it. It felt like you were talking right to me."

Jareth looked at her, obviously still trying to escape. "It's such an old song, not like anything I played tonight." The woman sat, unconvinced. He looked out over the crowd, most of whom were sitting, expectantly. "Well," he tried to smile, and reached behind himself to pull up a stool, "I'll need to sit down for this one. Let's see…" Slowly, he adjusted the tuning on the guitar slightly. "I only played it in public the one time. Well, here goes. My apologies in advance…"

The tune started, and Sarah's immediately felt ill. She could have taken anything, anything but this. The lyrics seemed so distant, so impersonal, but sitting in the crowded room she felt focused on and exposed. She shut her eyes and tried to imagine herself someplace else, anyplace else. But instead, looking back at her in her mind's eye, was Jareth. Staring at her, eyes pleading with her as they danced.

"There's such a sad love  
Deep in your eyes, a kind of pale jewel  
Open and closed within your eyes.  
I'll place the sky within your eyes

There's such a fooled heart  
Beating so fast in search of new dreams  
A love that will last within your heart  
I'll place the moon within your heart."

Chrissy stared at her friend in concern. Sarah looked pale and had placed her hands over her ears, as if trying to physically keep the song out. She was distracted from her concern, however, by the man on the stage. Jareth had begun the song shakily, almost robot like. Now, as the tempo picked up, his voice grew heavy with emotion. Grief washed over Chrissy. It was as if he were singing only to her.

"As the pain sweeps through  
Makes no sense for you.  
Every thrill has gone  
Wasn't too much fun at all.  
But I'll be there for you,  
As the world falls down.

Falling…  
As the world...

Falling down…  
Falling in love…"

To the audience, Jareth seemed to forget their existence. All the cheerfulness that had existed in his eyes earlier had disappeared. As he played, he looked at the ceiling, never missing a note, never stumbling over a word. A man, who had seemed so normal only moments before, now appeared strange, subtly different. The spell of his voice however, was exactly the same.

"I'll paint you mornings of gold  
I'll spin you Valentine evenings.  
Though we're strangers till now,  
We're choosing the path between the stars.  
I'll leave my love between the stars…

As the pain sweeps though,

makes no sense for you.

Every thrill has gone,

Wasn't too much fun—"

The noise of a chair clattering to the floor made him falter. The voice that followed caused him to stop.

"Why are you here?"

The question was presented with such forcefulness and venom, he was surprised he did not drop dead on the spot. Slowly, he took his eyes away from the ceiling and brought them to focus on the woman standing before him.

'Please,' he pleaded to no one in particular, 'Not her…'

He saw her standing before him, tears streaming down her face, and his thoughts flashed momentarily to the girl he had known before, crying on her bed after a fight with her stepmother. However, as soon as their eyes met, all her anger dissipated, replaced, alarmingly, by cold fear. Jareth was shocked. Had she ever feared him before this moment?

"Please…Jareth…why.." She turned and ran from the building. The two girls seated at the table with her, hesitated only a moment before the followed.

Jareth stood, song and audience forgotten. He remained on the stage, watching the door swing quietly shut, separating her from his eyes.

"Fuck me."

Without another word, he picked up his guitar and left the stage.


	2. Walk Alone

AN: Sorry it's been awhile. I'm just not a speed writer. I guess you guys will have to learn to deal with that. That's what happens when you let someone who usually writes poetry write a story. You end up with stupid crap like "a unifying theme" for all the chapters and blah blah. In essence, it slows me down. Hum, I'll have to reveal the name of the mystery song writer, huh? Well, his name is Brian Webb and I suggest you all go buy his CDs and learn to love him just as much as I do. He completely rocks my socks off! So, yeah, there you have it. This chapter was kind of a transition. I hope it came off naturally and not rushed. I might go back and edit it later because, honestly, I could be a little more pleased with it. But I think it serves its purpose. Now we can get to the real story. Um, thanks to Impextoo for her awesome suggestion. The tree scene in this chapter was inspired by her. So, I guess I'm going to go now. Oh, wait, I haven't mentioned how irrationally happy reviews make me, have I? I love feedback, I love suggestions. Even more than that, I love speculation. What do you guys think will happen? Either way, R&R or die. Well, not die actually…but I could destroy you with my vicious rhetoric!

Disclaimer: I don't own Labyrinth, any of its characters, or any of the wonderful Labyrinth soundtrack (actually I do own it, but not in the legal sense!). The lovely song featured in this chapter is by the even lovelier Brian Webb. All the other stuff is mine.

Warning: More cursing, sappy folk music, and evil trees!

Beautiful

Chapter 2: Walk Alone

_"When I look at you, what I always see  
Is the face of someone else who once belonged to me"  
__The Scarlet Pimpernel_

Six months later…

It had become a sort of sick therapy for him. He played the song at every show. Somehow, he had convinced himself that his feelings could become lost in the monotony. He believed, with a single minded certainty, that if he continued to sing her song that, eventually, it would come to mean nothing to him. He'd played it a dozen times by now; it still made him lay awake at night.

The crowd laughed at something he said. He smiled. Jareth never laughed.

"Here is my last song for the evening. I call it _As the World Falls Down._"

He began to play, making a valiant attempt to stay disconnected from the lyrics. They always made him think of her. It was akin to self-mutilation. He had no idea why he was torturing himself like this, only an abstract idea that in time he would become desensitized. He knew the words to well now, his mind could wander, but only to Sarah. While playing this song, he could think of nothing else but her.

He'd never attempted to contact her. He had thought about it, but realized that it would only end in disappointment. Besides, according to his rational, he had no reason to want to speak to her, his interest was gone. The thought of coming to this world on a crusade to capture Sarah's heart had entered his mind briefly before his arrival, but, in the end, he had squashed the idea. He had come here, for reasons all his own. Jareth had intended to leave the past where it was, behind him.

But he could not help remembering their first meeting. She had been so young and innocent. Not enough years of her life had pasted to allow her to understand him. After having encountered her again, he didn't think she ever would. He would not call himself obsessed or even devoted. He could not say that he was, or had ever been, in love with her. He was simply incapacitated by her presence. Weeks could pass and he wouldn't give her a thought, but when he did, the thought would possess him. He would sit over a blank piece of paper for hours, pencil poised and ready to write. He would not get up again until he'd written another song for her.

He assumed she affected many people this way. It was _her_ way. It helped him write, but Sarah, as a person, did not matter so much to him any longer.

'Then why,' he questioned himself as he played the last few cords of the song, 'are you still singing for her?'

"Falling, falling in love…"

* * *

"Yes Mom, finals were good….No Mom, I haven't had any problems…Yeah, I miss you guys. Geez, I've been gone for almost six months now, I'm not moving back." Sarah sighed, already regretting her harsh words. "Look, I'm sorry. It's just, I needed to get off on my own, and you know that. Going to college near home was okay for the first semester, but I just needed to leave." Again, she sighed, knowing the argument was useless. "Look, Karen, I have some packing to do if I want to move from the dorms to my apartment in time. I'll call. Yes, I promise. You too." 

She hung up the phone heavily. With a sigh, she pushed herself off the bed and onto her feet. Sometimes, it felt like it would be so much easier to give in and just move home, at least for the summer.

_"There's such a sad love, deep in your eyes…" _

No, she couldn't go home. Every time she even went home for a visit, she felt panicked. It was unreasonable, it was illogical, it was immature. It was the way she felt.

No, she knew she couldn't go back. She was afraid.

Over the past six months, he had examined her feeling very closely. When she had been to the Underground before, she had been intimidated by Jareth, she had recognized his power. However, when she met him three and a half years ago, she had never been afraid of him. She knew the same stubbornness that allowed her to defeat the Labyrinth had kept her fears at bay. Besides, he had never threatened her life, still hadn't. She had no reason to be afraid.

'And yet…'

And yet as she grew older some of the implication of his actions and words had come into sharper focus. Having the most beautiful and powerful man you had ever met ask for your love was terrifying, throwing it back in his face, even more so. So now, at the age of nineteen she came to the realization that she did not fear Jareth himself, she feared his revenge.

However, that revenge had never been carried out. The weeks following her encounter with Jareth at the show had been filled with research. As she prepared for finals and avoided questions from Chrissy and Raye, she tried to learn about him. The first time she sat down at her computer, preparing to Google his name, she felt like laughing. What was she going to look up? "Jareth, Goblin King/Folk Music." Then, she really did laugh. Despite all her anxiety and worry, the thought was hilarious.

In the end, she had looked up the café she had seen him in. Their website hosted a forum to discuss the recent shows. She was not surprised to find that Jareth was the hot topic of the week. She had begun to read…

_JarethLover001: Oh my gosh, he's coming to our town! He is so HAWT! I cannot wait!_

Sarah could almost hear the voice saying the words, and she knew without a doubt who it was. 'Leave it to Raye to become a Jareth fan girl.' She shook her head.

_CountryTimeLuv: Well, you guys do know that he had his first show around here? No one had ever even heard of him, then he does a show in Trinton and bang, he has a following. That show was, what, two years ago?_

_Number1: You're right CountryTime, almost two years ago to the day. I was there, I'm so excited he's coming back!_

She hadn't cared to read the post-show comments, she had learned enough to ease her mind.

Trinton was a mere ten miles outside her hometown. Jareth had been there and had made no attempt to contact her. He had been in her world for two years before the show and had never bothered her. Two and a half years now and he, in truth, had never spoken a word to her. It was doubtful that he ever would

"_Fear me, love me, and I will be your slave."_

She shivered. She couldn't go back home. The whole place was tainted for her now. But she shouldn't be afraid.

"…_love me…"_

It had been a ploy, a distraction from her task. An affective distraction. Jareth was something beyond her understanding. It was one thing to think about a fairy tale, it was another thing to try and live it. Jareth was not human. And she was afraid.

* * *

She offered to drive him to the show. Jareth declined. She came and watched him play, smiling through even his saddest numbers. For some inexplicable reason, he was developing an immense desire to see that smile falter. He played "As the World Falls Down," and she nodded as if she understood. He felt a fleeting impulse to banish her to The Bog of Eternal Stench. 

It occurred to him, as she accompanied him back to his hotel room, that he did not even know her name. She was beautiful and he knew that other men would long to have her. He would do anything to get away. He considered telling her to leave him, but could not. Loneliness was a powerful emotion.

He unlocked his hotel room and let her inside.

Much later, he stared up at the ceiling, wishing himself to the next city. That was his favorite part of his chosen lifestyle, a new start each week. He rose from the bed without glancing at the figure that lay next to him. He couldn't look at her.

This was his revenge, silent, self-destructive..

'And useless.'

He sighed as he gathered his things, being careful to keep his activities silent. He left no note or explanation for her. He didn't want her to smile, if even just for a moment. Perhaps, in sadness, they could have some measure of understanding.

As he exited the room, the sun of a new day met him. The darkness of the previous night seemed to be pushed away, and out of his mind. She was not the first and she would not be the last.

"I have no need to save myself." He had meant it as a self-deprecating joke to lighten his mood. It came out as a statement of fact. He had stated it aloud, as if for someone's benefit, but no one heard.

This was his revenge. He was the only one who needed to fear it.

* * *

_Hey Sarah! How have you been? Things are pretty good up here. Raye has a new boyfriend. A new, new one. Not the one I wrote you about last time. This one is decidedly less hot. I'm sorry I haven't kept in touch very well (not that you are a shining example), but I've been busy with first semester ending and all. I'm sure you have been too. I don't really have much time right now, I just thought I'd drop you a line to say that we (Raye and I) are probably going to come down and visit you. How about this Friday at that park down the street from your apartment. We went there last time, remember? Well, I've got to run. Just write back and tell me your plan. Love you babe! Chrissy_

Chrissy stared at the email for a moment in hesitation. Before she could consider her actions too deeply, she hit the send button. She turned to her friend and sighed.

"Raye, you know she will kill us for this."

"No, babe, she'll thank us!"

"If by thank you mean kill, then yes, I'd say you can count on that."

"Didn't you just feel the chemistry last time?"

"If by chemistry you mean raw hatred, then yes."

"Don't do that. It will work out."

"I hope, for your sake."

"Our sake."

"Our, hell no. I'm blaming this whole thing on you."

* * *

Sarah ambled though the park, anxious to see her friends, but not in a particular hurry. The summer night was warm and only slightly muggy. The park was beginning to fill as the sun feel and the electric lighting kicked on. She saw that a crowd was slowly forming around an outdoor stage. Deciding this would be the most likely spot to meet up with Chrissy and Raye, Sarah planted herself under a nearby tree to wait. 

She was startled out of her reflections by a deep creaking originating in the branches above her head. She hardly had the time to register the loud sound of snapping wood before she saw a very large object falling from the upper reaches of the tree to the ground. Yelping in surprise, Sarah jumped to her feet. The object was a body which was now crumpled in the fetal position. She took a single wary step forward, just as the body let out a low grown and rolled over.

Her eyes bugged out in an almost comic expression. "Holy shit. Holy freaking shit!"

There, lying at her feet, was a very frumpled and rather disoriented Goblin King.

* * *

Jareth was groggy. 

'Damn me. What was I thinking? Just because one has never climbed a tree before, does not mean one actually requires the experience.' He rubbed his head but did not open his eyes. 'Damn me.'

He tried to think back to what he had been doing. This was the venue he was playing in a week, so he had come to check it out. A few women had been looking his way and giggling. That's when he had seen the tree.

"Ahhggg…"

His groan was proof that scaling the tree had been, in no way impressive. Once he had managed to hoist himself up through the branches of the tree, the women had left. In reality, they had probably left before he even succeeded in climbing a few feet. He, however, had been too engrossed in the thoughts of how "wonderfully primitive" this activity was to take much notice. It was only after the fact that he realized he had no notion about how we would return to the ground.

'Well, I'm on the ground again. I needed a better plan…'

A branch must have given way, he felt sure of that. The tree was, obviously, the party at fault. This thought bolstered him slightly and he tentatively opened his eyes. His vision focused and unfocused rapidly, causing him to blink. When the world finally came to rest, he could not believe what he saw. She was standing over him, head tilted slightly to one side, eyes unbelievable wide. Head still spinning, he slowly sat up. She jumped back at his movement but did not run away. Slowly, he brought his hand up to the back of his head and felt something damp and sticky.

"Damn." Sarah jumped again at the sound of his voice. At the movement, Jareth turned his head, for the first time, to look at her straight on. He appraised her quickly, not wanting to add to her discomfort. She had grown slightly taller and her hips and breasts had grown fuller. Mostly, he observed, she had simply grown into a more womanly shape. He skipped over her eyes, choosing to, instead, stare at a point just above her head and stayed here for a moment choosing his words and trying to decide if he should even speak. In the end, he simply chose to stand up.

"Don't stand." Her voice shocked him. Not simply the words but the quality. She had a rich voice, deeper than that of most women. And, though she sounded nervous, the words were sure. He didn't stand. His compliance must have encouraged her, because she spoke again. "You hit your head. It's bleeding. You probably shouldn't stand up. I could go and get you some help?" The last was a question and not a statement.

Jareth raised a hand to his head again, examining the wound. It wasn't deep. He knew the silence was making Sarah uncomfortable, she was shuffling her feet. Looking up, he met her eyes. "Thank you, but the wound is not serious. I require no assistance. I am sorry to have troubled you." Standing up quickly, before she had the chance to speak, he turned from her and walked on down the path.

She watched him walk away, still in a state of complete shock. The outlandish circumstances had her feet rooted to the ground. Honestly, she didn't grasp how she had been able to speak. More importantly, she had no idea why she had even spoken. But, in the end, the answer was clear. It was extraordinary; after spending six months justifying her fear, it had disappeared in an instant.

'He bleeds. My God, he bleeds. Just like me.'

The tendency to change her perception on a whim had been ingrained in Sarah's personality from the beginning. Before she knew what she was doing, her feet were moving, first at a walk then a light jog, until she had placed herself next to him.

"You're still bleeding," she stated, as if trying to explain the necessity of her presence. He looked at her, straight in the eye. He was confused, openly, showing it through his eyes and in his face. "I'm just," she searched for the word, "concerned."

He tilted his head slightly, "Concerned?" His eyebrow lifted in a familiar expression. He was amused with her.

"You're _bleeding._" The word was exaggerated and she was already beginning to feel foolish. She averted her eyes, suddenly self-conscious. "Never mind."

A silence stretched between them, and she continued to walk beside him.

"Sarah, do not be angry with me. I'm just," he seemed unsure of what to say, "I'm just surprised that you are even speaking to me."

She looked up at him and smiled, "Honestly, so am I."

"Well then, why the sudden change of heart?"

"You're bleeding," she said it very matter of fact, as if he would automatically understand.

"You have already said that. I just do not understand why you would be concerned with my well being."

"Well, no matter who I saw fall out of a tree, I'd have to be slightly concerned. That's not really it though."

"What is 'really it' then?" He saw a park bench nearby and moved towards it. He sat down and, to his surprise, she sat beside him. "Well?"

"Do you really want to know?" He nodded. "Fine, well, it's just that the first time we met, I had a goal, something to work towards. I didn't even really have time to be scared of you, not really. Then when I saw you at that show, I was so sure you had come back because you were, um, angry with me. But then you never bothered me again. And today, well the entire thing is completely deranged, but when I saw you were hurt, it just sort of hit me. I mean, you aren't some sort of magical god, right? What? What's that look for?"

Jareth stared at her in obvious amusement. "Sarah, I do believe you were babbling. Magical god?"

Sarah sighed and smiled at her own statement. "I guess that does sound stupid doesn't it?"

"Not stupid," Jareth smiled, as if trying to reassure her, "simply amusing. So you decide to speak with me because I bled red instead of black, correct?"

She shrugged, "Sure, I guess." Again, there was silence. Sarah looked at him and sighed, "I think I owe you and apology. The last time I saw you I, well, I overreacted."

He simply shrugged. The action looked so foreign on him. It was too casual, too loose, far too normal. "You never expected to see me. I startled you. It is understandable."

"Well yes, I mean, you did. I was just afraid that you were here because-- " she stopped herself short, realizing what she was about to divulge.

"Afraid I might what? Thought I might try to steal your brother?" She did not answer, instead just stared at her hands. "Come now Sarah. We both know you defeated me, fair and square, what more would I want with your brother, or," he paused, but only for a second, "Or with you for that matter?"

"Yes, you're right. I had no reason to worry about…my brother."

"Yes." He stood up and stretched. "I do not think I will die from this head injury. I would, however, like to go and wash up. Thank you, once again, for your help." He turned, as if he were going to walk away, then hesitated. "Sarah, would you like to get some lunch with me?"

"Um, I don't know, I was supposed to meet some friends."

"Think of it as a peace offering. I will understand if you cannot make it, but I will be eating at the diner across from the park entrance in one hour."

With that, he turned from her and walked away.

Sarah watched him, until he was fully out of sight. He never once looked back. She considered it for a moment, then pulled her cell phone from her purse. "Raye will never forgive me if I don't go."

* * *

She was early. He saw her standing outside the diner fretting with her hair and paused for a moment to look at her. He knew he thought she was beautiful, more beautiful than any woman he had ever met. Even before, when she had only been a child he had considered her lovely. He shook his head, which hurt more than he had expected. 

'You cannot start this again. You see her today, clear the air, then forget about it. There is no reason to continue this any longer. Free yourself.'

He walked up behind her without her notice. "Sarah?" She jumped. The action was almost gratifying. Even now, he had control of the situation. Or so he thought. She composed herself quickly and turned to him with a smile. It was disarming to say the least.

'She is beautiful…'

"Jareth? Should we go in?"

He blinked and smiled at her. "Yes, of course." He opened the door, "After you."

* * *

"So, what did your friends say? Where they upset?" 

Sarah laughed. "Hardly. They didn't believe me!" She smiled at the memory. "In the end, the confessed to this whole master plan about trying to get me to go and see the show you're putting on in the park on Friday. So, I guess that tree did the job for them. Speaking of which, Jareth, why were you in that tree?" She wasn't surprised when she only got a mumbled answer. She'd asked the question three times already, and each time he'd managed to have food in his mouth. Not that she'd given him much of a chance to speak. She was nervous, nervous beyond all reason. She had been talking, nearly non-stop for the past twenty minutes. Sarah hated silence.

"Well, you never answered my question." She made the statement though a mouthful of pasta salad. Jareth looked disgusted.

"Which question? The one about the tree?"

Sarah sighed, "No, forget that one. The one I asked you that night at the show. I'm still curious. Why are you here Jareth?"

He paused, seeming to consider his words carefully. To her surprise, he shrugged again. She couldn't' get over how strange such a common place action looked on him. "It was either this or a life at court. If you must know Sarah, humans lead far more interesting lives than fae kings."

"I doubt it." So many things had changed about Sarah over the past few years, but her love for the fantastic had not dulled. "Would you…Jareth, would you mind telling me about them?"

"Who?"

"All of them. Your world. I wasn't there under the best circumstances, but it was beautiful…" She trailed off.

"Certainly Sarah, if you wish to hear."

She sat in rapt attention for a very long time. Not interrupting, but simply listening. Jareth told her about all the people he knew and the places he'd lived. He told her about the Labyrinth, and all the many people who had tried to defeat it.

"And if they lose…you turn their babies into goblins?"

"No. What would I need with more goblins? They are placed with families who care for them as if they were their own." Noticing she looked confused, he decided to explain further. "It was my duty as King to take those wished away. Likewise, it was my duty to try and distract those who ran the Labyrinth from their goal. Would it not make sense that it would also be my duty to see that the unwanted children are cared for?"

She nodded. "But what if the child is wished away and the person who wished them away changes their mind?"

"Like you?"

Again, she nodded. "Yes, like me. Do they just have to hope for the best?"

"Only rarely is a child wished away who is actually wanted. But, in those rare cases, I do not distract them quite so much. You did not honestly think you were the first to ever defeat the Labyrinth?"

She looked down at the table, blushing. She had thought that. Changing the subject away from herself she said, "Well you certainly didn't hold back much in distracting me. 'Fear me, love me.' Come now Jareth, don't you think that was a little much?" He was silent. "Jareth? I didn't mean to…" She let the words hang, not knowing how to proceed.

"I simply thought you were beautiful Sarah." He smiled at her. "It was a long time ago after all, and I've always been a bit impulsive. Imagine if you had said yes!"

She suddenly felt very uncomfortable. The room was unusually hot. "What do you mean?"

He leaned in, suddenly speaking very low. The feeling was creeping in on her again. Fear. "Think of the nature of my job Sarah. If I offer something to you and you accept, I must give it to you. And I never offer things I am not willing to give."

Her feet took over. Before she knew it, she was out the door and walking down the street. 'Jesus, what are you afraid of Sarah? He's just telling you the truth.' Her walk slowed, and she heard someone coming up behind her. She stopped and waited for him to catch up.

"Sarah I did not mean to frighten you."

"I know."

"I would like us to be friends. I will not seek you out, but I would like to think that, should I fall out of another tree, you would not leave me laying on the ground."

She laughed. "Alright, if that is your definition of friends, I think I can do that. You drive me crazy, you know? Maybe because you are."

"Me?" He smiled at her.

"I'm not the one stealing babies," she reminded him.

"This is also true." He paused. "Come to my show on Friday. At least your friends would be satisfied. Then we can just walk off, and if our paths never cross again, we can be of clear conscience."

"I'd say that's fair."

"Hopefully, many people will show up. So if I don't see you on Friday, thank you for coming, and I hope the rest of your life is perfect."

"I'd run from something less."

The stood and after a moments hesitation, Sarah extended her hand for Jareth to shake, he took it and smiled. Without another word he walked away down the street. She watched him, again, as he left. His faded jeans and ironed button-up shirt faded into the crowd. She would never get used to him in normal clothes.

'And I'll never have to. I see him on Friday with Raye and Chrissy, then I'll probably never see him again. I'm glad we talked though. At least now I don't have to be afraid.'

* * *

'Go on and walk towards something perfect, when you ran from something less. Damn, that is very good. I have to get home and write this down.' Jareth pushed his way quickly though the crowd and away from the diner towards his hotel room. 'I will write this last song for you, Sarah. I hope I never see you again.' 

He had been at ease in her presence and he hated himself for it.

* * *

She sat on the ground with Raye and Chrissy. She couldn't believe how many people had shown up to hear Jareth play. She knew that tonight would end a chapter in her life. Somehow, the thought didn't make her as happy as she thought it should. 

Jareth was so different when he was on stage. He was witty and relaxed. He spoke just as any other person on the street might speak to you. His regal tones disappeared.

'He is an impeccable actor,' she reminded herself. 'He played the villain for me once, and look at him up there now. He couldn't be farther from a villain.'

"I've got one last song for you guys this evening. It's a new one." There were a few shouts from the audience. Jareth smiled. "_As the World Falls Down_? No, I can't play that one tonight. A friend of mine is here who doesn't particularly care for that one. Actually, I'm not sure how much she'll like this one. But it's for her either way."

Sarah couldn't take her eyes off the stage. She was apprehensive, no longer scared. She simply did not know what to expect.

"You drive me crazy,  
maybe cause' you are."

That first line made her laugh aloud, and a few people turned to look at her.

"What's so funny?" Raye questioned.

Sarah smiled at her friend, "I said that to him."

"You loved me too good,  
probably for your own.

You tried to hard to make this work,  
And now it is both,  
And you're alone.

And it would be easy to get angry,  
And it would be easy to grow cold,  
It would be hard to try to understand all of this,  
Even then I'm not so sure we even could.

I don't want to make this sound like a warning,  
with all of this talk about forever.  
Let's just start walking in the morning,  
And see if we wind up together.  
I want you to live without regard for me,  
And in the end I think that's better,  
To just start walking in the morning  
and find we walked alone together."

Sarah didn't know how to react. It was so sad, and she knew it was a good-bye.

"There is a letter in the corner  
On my coat that someone kissed.  
From a lover on the trail  
of something I think we both missed.  
It says 'This fear will leave you frozen  
Your expectations relieved at best,  
But relief is never joy, but only  
a distant second best.'  
So go on and walk towards something perfect  
where you ran from something less,  
And in the wake of a little forgiveness  
Will lay a soul that moves at rest.  
Here lies a soul that moves at rest.

I don't want to make this sound like a warning,  
with all of this talk about forever.  
Let's just start walking in the morning,  
And see if we wind up together.  
I want you to live without regard for me,  
And in the end I think that's better,  
To just start walking in the morning  
and find we walked alone together."

Sarah found herself crying. Uncontrollable racking sobs. Raye and Chrissy sat up with her in her apartment until she cried herself to sleep.

* * *

That night Jareth broke down the stage, and went and played _As the World Falls Down_ to his empty hotel room. He couldn't sleep.

* * *

AN: This chapter's alternate title...I'm letting the suspense build..."Jareth snogs, Sarah Googles, and everyone cries." I had to fix a few typos and just thought of this. I'm random. In other news, my comptuer crashed, deleting the beginning of chapter three. I'm very sad right now. But I'm trying to actually get it done. Reviews help! 


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